Gleaning from Romans 8

It's been now over two weeks since I last wrote. Traveling with no reliable Internet and set scheduled quiet time has always been difficult to sit down and look at scripture more carefully. That's not to say that I didn't have any good spiritual nourishment. My wife and I spent some quality time praying together and listened to quite a few great podcasts both during the long drive (to and from the cottage), and just while sharing a meal together with the podcast playing in the background. This is a great place for podcasts: http://www.catholic.com/radio/podcast

Today I listened to Romans 8 a couple of times (yes I like to read and listen at the same time). This is one of those chapters in scripture that had taught the church so much over the centuries. I have many favorite verses from this chapter which I quoted over and over again in reference to certain themes:

1. On Eternal Security in Christ - "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1); "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31b); "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" (Romans 8:35a) and the answer is "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." (Romans 8:37); "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)
2. On becoming God's children, not slaves - "The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” " (Romans 8:15)
3. On suffering with Christ and future glory - "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. " (Romans 8:17-18)
4. The Spirit helps us pray - "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." (Romans 8:26)
5. God's got our back - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. " (Romans 8:28)
6. God is sovereign and all knowing - "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified." (Romans 8:29-30)
7. This is my most quoted verse! The best evidence of God's grace (to encourage those who are in need of encouragement!) - "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32); along with this verse from previous chapter -  "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

There you have it. This should be a mandatory chapter to read (along with the Psalms) regularly. Thank God St. Paul left these instructions for us!